Oct. 2, 2009
Box Score
CHICAGO, Ill. - The Villanova volleyball team (12-4, 1-2) got back to its winning ways with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 27-25) sweep at DePaul on Friday evening.
Sophomore Maggie Mergen led the Wildcats with 12 kills and just one error to hit a blistering .579 hitting percentage. Senior Elysse Studzinski also had just one error as she notched a .455 hitting percentage on 11 kills. Freshman Krista Andersen tallied 10 kills.
Sophomore Courtney Oertli gave out 35 assists, while classmate Kim Maroon collected 16 digs and notched three service aces.
Villanova led 12-9 in set one as DePaul called its first timeout. After the break, Mergen served an ace and the Blue Demons had an error as the `Cats jumped to a 17-13 advantage. Studzinski connected for a kill to set Maroon to serve for set point, which VU earned after a DePaul miscue.
The teams were locked in a 14-14 tie in the second frame as the Wildcats called a timeout. Two errors from the Blue Demons and a kill from Andersen put `Nova in front, 17-15. Maroon served two points with the `Cats in front 21-18, but an error tied the set at 23 apiece. Mergen and sophomore Maria Nolan both found the floor for consecutive kills and a set two victory.
The Wildcats found themselves trailing 11-5 in the third set, but scored six points after a timeout to pull within two points, 14-12. Oertli served an ace and back-to-back kills from Studzinski saw VU pull to within one point, 17-16 and forced DePaul to call a timeout. Another kill from Studzinski tied the set at 20 apiece and kills from Mergen and senior Amy Gulyas kept VU alive after the break. A miscue from the Blue Demons tied the set at 23-23 and the teams went point-for-point until an attack error from DePaul set the Wildcats to serve for match point with a 26-25 lead. Studzinski connected for the winning kill and Villanova won in three sets.
The Wildcats have one day off before traveling to Notre Dame for a Sunday match that will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET.
